Thomas Gould
Question:601. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that community prison link workers did not receive pay increases at a rate of similar roles in the HSE or Section 39 workers. [41116/24]
View answerAddiction Treatment Services
Questions (601)
Written answers
The Department of Health has carried out an internal review of employee pay in the community drug and alcohol services it funds. The review was undertaken in the context of the October 2023, Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) agreement on pay for workers in Section 39 organisations.
Arising from the review, the Department has approved an increase in grants for community drug and alcohol projects.
The increased grant will benefit employees of community drug and alcohol projects, funded by this department, including community prison link workers. It will enable those projects to give retrospective pay rises, and arrears, proper to 2023 and 2024, to their employees in line with the WRC agreement.
The 2025 allocation to projects will also be increased to reflect the cumulative increase in employees pay since 2023.
While community drug services have independent management boards, and the terms and conditions of employment of staff are ultimately between the employer and the employee, it is expected that services will pass on the additional funding through wage increases to employees.
Work is currently underway in the Department to ensure the efficient and coordinated administration of the increased funding, in association with drug and alcohol task forces and channels of funding..
I welcome the approval of an increase in grant aid for community drug and alcohol projects funded directly by the Department, to enable them to implement the WRC agreement on pay increases for workers in equivalent Section 39 organisations.
Question No. 602 answered with Question No. 600.
Vaccination Programme
Questions (603)
John Lahart
Question:603. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health when the full health technology assessment of immunisation against RSV will start; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41122/24]
View answerWritten answers
In October 2023, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) submitted advice to the Department of Health advising that European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorised Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation for infants and persons over 65yrs, are safe and effective and should be considered for use in Ireland.
In its advice, NIAC noted that further analysis of cost effectiveness and programmatic considerations would be required to determine the most appropriate use of RSV immunisation in Ireland.
Following consideration of NIAC's advice, the Department requested HIQA to carry out a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to determine firstly, whether infant or adult vaccination would provide the greatest benefit in reducing healthcare utilisation due to RSV infection, and secondly, what the most cost-effective RSV immunisation strategy for Ireland would be.
The request was revised in light of the last RSV season and the Department requested that HIQA undertake a rapid HTA of immunisation against RSV in Ireland which was published in August of this year. The outcome of this HTA informed the development of the infant RSV immunisation programme which is currently underway. The full HTA which will inform future developments of any RSV immunisation programme introduced in Ireland for infants and adults commenced in Autumn of this year.
Hospital Procedures
Questions (604)
Paul Murphy
Question:604. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of full mesh implant removals that have been performed in Ireland by HSE-employed surgeons since 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41125/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
Hospital Procedures
Questions (605)
Paul Murphy
Question:605. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the State will reimburse mesh injured women who have paid privately for the full and safe mesh implant removal services in the USA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41126/24]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health Act 2004, the HSE is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services.
Additionally, section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The request for reimbursements for treatment in the USA is a matter for consideration by the HSE.
Hospital Procedures
Questions (606)
Paul Murphy
Question:606. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the State has approved public funding for mesh implantation surgeries outside of Ireland despite the ongoing CMO pause on the use of these stress incontinence devices in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41127/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
Hospital Services
Questions (607)
Brendan Griffin
Question:607. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health for clarification regarding the effect of the HSE’s staffing ceiling on physiotherapy services in University Hospital Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41138/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services
Questions (608)
Gino Kenny
Question:608. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health what collaboration, if any, is being done with international health agencies to monitor and regulate the safety of menstrual products in light of recent findings on heavy metal contamination. [41149/24]
View answer
Awaiting reply from the Department.
Departmental Staff
Questions (609)
Catherine Murphy
Question:609. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of staff that worked in his Department’s communications and press office in each of the years 2019 to 2024; and the grade of each staff member. [41164/24]
View answerWritten answers
Data from 2019-2023 as of 31st December, Data for 2024 as of 30th September
Departmental Advertising
Questions (610)
Catherine Murphy
Question:610. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the frequency and duration of the publicity, marketing or advertising campaigns conducted by his Department to date in 2024; the purpose of these campaigns; the cost of these campaigns; and the agencies that conducted these campaigns, in tabular form. [41182/24]
View answerWritten answers
A Theachta, a chara,
Please see details below, as per your request.
|
Campaign |
Purpose |
Frequency/duration |
Cost |
Agencies involved |
|
Social Connections |
Public information and awareness. |
20/11/2023 -21/01/2024 |
€151,013.59 |
PHD Media |
|
Adult Safeguarding Public Consultation |
A public consultation to invite the public to give their feedback |
01/12/2023 -31/01/2024 |
€6,046.7 |
PHD Media |
|
Healthy Ireland Social |
Public information and awareness. |
05/01/2024 - 31/12/2024 |
€49,947.66 |
PHD Media |
|
Free Contraception 32-35 Expansion |
Public information and awareness |
01/06/2024 - 11/08/2024 |
€200,864.05 |
PHD Media and Javelin |
|
Sunsmart |
Public information and awareness |
01/07/2024 - 01/09/2024 |
€74,893.13 |
PHD Media |
|
Public Consultation on Commission on Care for Older People |
A public consultation to invite the public to give their feedback |
26/08/2024 - 08/11/2024 |
€20,699.12 |
PHD Media and Javelin |
|
GP Card expansion campaign |
Public information and awareness |
23/09/2024 - 27/10/2024 |
€210,046.33 |
PHD Media and Javelin |
Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
Questions (611)
Robert Troy
Question:611. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update and timeframe on the provision of a minor injury in Athlone, County Westmeath. [41191/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
Hospital Services
Questions (612)
Robert Troy
Question:612. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details on the future use of the St. Vincent’s Hospital building in Athlone, County Westmeath (details supplied). [41192/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medicinal Products
Questions (613)
Cathal Crowe
Question:613. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health when evenity (romosozumab) will be made available a person (details supplied) suffering from osteoporosis; if evenity will be covered by the drugs payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41197/24]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The HSE have provided the following update regarding Romosozumab (Evenity®):
The HSE must commit to providing access to as many medicines as possible, in as timely a fashion as possible, from the resources available to it.
The HSE must also robustly assess applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to Irish citizens and patients.
HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds.
There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and / or reimbursed.
The HSE considers the following criteria prior to making any decision on pricing / reimbursement, in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013:
(1) The health needs of the public,
(2) The cost effectiveness of meeting health needs by supplying the item concerned rather than providing other health services,
(3) The availability and suitability of items for supply or reimbursement,
(4) The proposed costs, benefits, and risks of the item or listed item relative to therapeutically similar items or listed items provided in other health service settings and the level of certainty in relation to the evidence of those costs, benefits and risks,
(5) The potential or actual budget impact of the item or listed item,
(6) The clinical need for the item or listed item,
(7) The appropriate level of clinical supervision required in relation to the item to ensure patient safety,
(8) The efficacy (performance in trial), effectiveness (performance in real situations) and added therapeutic benefit against existing standards of treatment (how much better it treats a condition than existing therapies) and,
(9) The resources available to the HSE.
In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of Romosozumab (Evenity®):
• The HSE received an application for pricing and reimbursement of Romosozumab (Evenity®) on the 20th April 2021 from UCB Pharma (the applicant) indicated for the treatment of severe osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture.
• The first step in the process is the submission of a Rapid Review dossier (a clinical and economic dossier) to the National Centre for Phamacoeconomics (NCPE) for assessment. The HSE commissioned the Rapid Review process on the 21st April 2021.
• The NCPE Rapid Review assessment report was received by the HSE on the 27th May 2021. A full HTA was recommended to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of Romosozumab (Evenity®) compared with the current standard of care.
• The HSE commissioned a full Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on the 28th June 2021 as per agreed processes.
• The NCPE Health Technology Assessment report (ncpe.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Technical-summary-romosozumab-Evenity-21016.pdf) was received by the HSE on the 7th of March 2023. The NCPE recommended that Romosozumab (Evenity®), for the treatment of women who are postmenopausal with severe osteoporosis who have experienced a MOF (hip, vertebrae, distal radius, proximal humerus) within the previous 24 months and who are at imminent risk of another fragility fracture, be considered for reimbursement if cost-effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments.
• The HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications.
• The Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The membership of the HSE Drugs Group includes public interest members. The Drugs Group met in August 2023 and reviewed the pharmacoeconomic report along with the outputs of commercial negotiations, and patient group submissions. The Drugs Group recommended the reimbursement of Romosozumab (Evenity®) subject to a Managed Access Protocol (MAP) being implemented.
• The decision-making authority in the HSE is the HSE Executive Management Team. The HSE Executive Management Team decides on the basis of all the demands it is faced with (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new use of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
• Reimbursement of Romosozumab (Evenity®) on the High Tech Arrangement is supported for a sub-group of the licensed population who meet the criteria outlined in a managed access protocol (MAP), i.e. women who are postmenopausal, with severe osteoporosis, who have experienced a major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) within the previous 24 months and who are at imminent risk of another fragility fracture. All criteria must be satisfied in order for reimbursement to be supported.
• Evenity® will be made available under a MAP operated by the HSE Medicines Management Programme (MMP) in the coming months.
Nursing Homes
Questions (614)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:614. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the total number of nursing home facilities that have closed and ceased operations, by name and location, since January 2020; if any of the nursing homes voluntarily returned TAPS payments/monies to his Department for any reason, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41198/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (615)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:615. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41199/24]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (616)
Michael Ring
Question:616. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has not received an appointment given the length of time they have been waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41206/24]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Eating Disorders
Questions (617)
Willie O'Dea
Question:617. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when a clinic will be set up in Limerick for children with eating disorders; where it will be based; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41209/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
Substance Misuse
Questions (618)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:618. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the World Health Organisation’s recent report (details supplied); if he accepts the WHO findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41213/24]
View answerWritten answers
The latest HRB report on Alcohol: availability, affordability, related harm, and policy in Ireland | HRB | Health Research Board (www.hrb.ie/publication/alcohol-availability-affordability-related-harm-and-policy-in-ireland/ assesses the current situation in Ireland regarding alcohol use and harm, as well as policy responses; analyses trends over time; and contributes towards assessing the impact of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018.
Alcohol-related harm can be caused not only by the volume of alcohol consumed, but also by patterns of drinking, and can include harms to health, violence, and social harms. An effective estimate of alcohol-related harm is the number of hospitalisations due to alcohol use. The number of alcohol-related hospitalisations increased by 16.4% between 2001 and 2021, from 16,219 to 18,877 but when considering the population growth Ireland has seen in this period, it represents a 17.1% decrease per 100,000 of the population. Adjusting for population growth, rates of alcohol-related liver disease per 100,000 of the population have increased by 79.9% in the 20- year period from 2001 to 2021.
Survey data indicate that more than one-quarter (27.6%) of drinkers aged 15–24 years reported experiencing harm due to their own alcohol use in the 2019–20 NDAS. Hazardous or harmful drinkers were more likely to report experiencing harm from their own drinking. Accidentally hurting oneself (10.2%) and harms to health (8.0%) were the most common harms reported from their own drinking. One in every 10 respondents reported experiencing harm to family (10.8%) and 6.0% reported being a passenger with a drunk driver as the harms experienced from others’ drinking.
The WHO report in question is a technical manual alcohol on tax policy and administration, which falls within the remit of the Department of Finance. As a complement to tax policies, the manual references minimum pricing, a policy used to set a floor price below which alcoholic beverages cannot be sold. Ireland is highlighted as a country that has introduced minimum pricing.
The Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 set a minimum unit price of 10c per gram of alcohol. Minimum unit pricing targets strong cheap alcohol because the minimum price is determined by the amount of alcohol in a product. Addressing the availability of cheap strong alcohol products will reduce the disease and death caused by the harmful use of alcohol and will ensure that cheap strong alcohol is not available to children and young people at pocket money prices.
I am aware of the harms of alcohol and the cost to the health services of dealing with these harms, and am committed to reducing alcohol consumption through public health measures.
Substance Misuse
Questions (619)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:619. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of research (details supplied) from Canada; if he accepts that the burden from alcohol in Ireland is likely similar; and if he accepts the need for a dedicated alcohol strategy to be in place when the current drug and alcohol strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, concludes in 2025. [41214/24]
View answerWritten answers
The latest HRB report on Alcohol: availability, affordability, related harm, and policy in Ireland | HRB | Health Research Board (www.hrb.ie/publication/alcohol-availability-affordability-related-harm-and-policy-in-ireland/) assesses the current situation in Ireland regarding alcohol use and harm, as well as policy responses; analyses trends over time; and contributes towards assessing the impact of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018.
Alcohol-related harm can be caused not only by the volume of alcohol consumed, but also by patterns of drinking, and can include harms to health, violence, and social harms. An effective estimate of alcohol-related harm is the number of hospitalisations due to alcohol use. The number of alcohol-related hospitalisations increased by 16.4% between 2001 and 2021, from 16,219 to 18,877 but when considering the population growth Ireland has seen in this period, it represents a 17.1% decrease per 100,000 of the population. Adjusting for population growth, rates of alcohol-related liver disease per 100,000 of the population have increased by 79.9% in the 20- year period from 2001 to 2021.
Survey data indicate that more than one-quarter (27.6%) of drinkers aged 15–24 years reported experiencing harm due to their own alcohol use in the 2019–20 NDAS. Hazardous or harmful drinkers were more likely to report experiencing harm from their own drinking. Accidentally hurting oneself (10.2%) and harms to health (8.0%) were the most common harms reported from their own drinking. One in every 10 respondents reported experiencing harm to family (10.8%) and 6.0% reported being a passenger with a drunk driver as the harms experienced from others’ drinking
It is a strategic action in the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025 to refresh and oversee implementation of the Healthy Ireland Alcohol Policy. Implementation actions are
- Provide measures at community level to delay the initiation of alcohol consumption by children and young people
- Introduce minimum unit pricing in consultation and collaboration with Northern Ireland.
Separately, the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery , is a health-led response to drug and alcohol use, and runs from 2017 to 2025. The Strategic action plan for 2023-2024, contains 34 actions across six strategic priorities. Three of the strategic priorities have a focus on alcohol use:
• strengthen the prevention of drug and alcohol use and the associated harms among children and young people,• enhance access to and delivery of drug and alcohol services in the community and• develop harm reduction responses and integrated care pathways for high risk drug users.
The Department intends to commission an independent evaluation of the strategy in Q4 2024. It is expected that the evaluation will be completed in early 2025.
I am fully aware of the harms of alcohol and drug. It is my ambition that the next national drugs strategy will reduce the use of drugs and alcohol at an early age, meet the growing demand for treatment services for problematic drug and alcohol use and support recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
Substance Misuse
Questions (620)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:620. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the current drug and alcohol strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, does not include any actions in relation to alcohol related brain injury despite research (details supplied); if he agrees that the new alcohol strategy to replace this in 2025 should include actions to address this issue given there may be 31,500 adults in Ireland with an alcohol-related brain injury and 3,780 people in Ireland living with Korsakoff's syndrome often inappropriately placed in nursing homes. [41215/24]
View answerWritten answers
The national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, is a health-led response to drug and alcohol use, and it runs from 2017 to 2025. The Strategic action plan for 2023-2024, contains 34 actions across six strategic priorities. Three of the strategic priorities have a focus on alcohol use:
• strengthen the prevention of drug and alcohol use and the associated harms among children and young people,• enhance access to and delivery of drug and alcohol services in the community and• develop harm reduction responses and integrated care pathways for high risk drug users.
The Department intends to commission an independent evaluation of the strategy in Q4 2024. It is expected that the evaluation will be completed in early 2025. The proposed timeframe for the finalisation of the new national drugs strategy is the first quarter of 2025.
As the Deputy notes, the remit of the national drugs strategy does not include alcohol related brain injury. If there is a concern that someone may be affected by alcohol related brain injury, they should contact their GP or medical professional. Useful guides for families and medical professionals are available at Alcohol Related Brain Injury (ARBI) - Alcohol Forum Ireland (alcoholforum.org/alcohol-related-brain-injury-arbi/)
I am fully aware of the harms of alcohol and drug use. It is my ambition that the next national drugs strategy will reduce the use of drugs and alcohol, meet the growing demand for treatment services for problematic drug and alcohol use and support recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
Substance Misuse
Questions (621)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:621. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if the planned review of the Drug and Alcohol Strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery, includes an evaluation of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018. [41216/24]
View answerWritten answers
The national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, is a health-led response to drug and alcohol use, and it runs from 2017 to 2025. The Strategic action plan for 2023-2024, contains 34 actions across six strategic priorities. Three of the strategic priorities have a focus on alcohol use:
• strengthen the prevention of drug and alcohol use and the associated harms among children and young people,
• enhance access to and delivery of drug and alcohol services in the community and
• develop harm reduction responses and integrated care pathways for high risk drug users.
The Department intends to commission an independent evaluation of the strategy in Q4 2024. It is expected that the evaluation will be completed in early 2025.
The remit of the national drugs strategy does not include the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018. Section 21 of the Act states that the Minister for Health shall, not later than 3 years after the commencement of this section, carry out a review of section 13
20
to . Further information on the provisions of the Act is set out here gov.ie - Healthy Ireland Alcohol policy (www.gov.ie) (www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/89335d-healthy-ireland-alcohol-policy/)
I am fully aware of the harms of alcohol use and the overlap with drug use. It is my ambition that the next national drugs strategy will address the reasons why people use drugs and alcohol, reduce the harms associated with problematic drug and alcohol use and support recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
Hospital Staff
Questions (622)
Marian Harkin
Question:622. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 175 of 29 May 2024, the reason for the delay in appointing a temporary consultant for the pain clinic at SUH (details supplied); when in 2025 the consultants will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41221/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Facilities
Questions (623)
Marian Harkin
Question:623. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if it is envisaged to reopen the pain clinic at Sligo University Hospital when the temporary consultant is appointed in early 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41222/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.